bound by honor
by originalgaijin
Summary: Jonathan past comesback to challenge him. Next part of my AU series.


Ducky and Mr. Palmer rounded the corner into the Morgue to find there was another body had been delivered during there lunch break.

"Oh dear. Mr. Palmer would you turn on the tape recorder we have another poor soul to help here'

"Yes Dr. Mallard"

"We have a male Marine about 25 years of age. Appears to have been in good health with no sign of visible trauma, no apparent cause of death at this time. Will need to perform further tests to determine cause of death" Ducky hovered over this mysterious body

"Oh hey Dr. Mallard sorry for borrowing one of your tables. I needed to think and this use to the trick when I was a teenager so. I thought I'd give it a shot" Jonathan smiled looking up at the good Doctor looking quiet startled

"Laying on a autopsy table helps you think," asked a flabbergasted Palmer

"Yeah weird I know but it does" Jonathan sat up and stretched a bit "I hope I didn't do any harm to your table Doctor"

'No my dear boy you didn't but I' am baffled as to how that would help you think?" Ducky looked puzzled by this behavior from a battle tested Marine

"Oh that's simple as a teenager I use to do it. I worked in a morgue" He smiled enjoying the look of dismay on their faces was amusing

"You did?" piped Palmer from across the room

"Yeah my mom is an ME back home, you've probably never heard of were I came from"

'"Where's that?" stupidly Palmer spoke up again

"Oh Los Angeles" Jonathan smiled as he knew he had Palmer going

'Yeah he's a regular small town boy isn't he Duck" Gibbs appears from thin air or from the elevator no none knows for sure

"Yes he is Jethro I have something to show you about our poor sailor here"

"I thought you did. Barclay gear up that wife lied and get Ziva too"

"Done Gunny" he got up and made his way to the door

"Oh Mr. Barclay. Did it help?" Jonathan spun quickly on his heels to face Dr. Mallard

"Yeah it did Dr. Mallard thanks"

The trio were sitting outside the house of there murder suspect bidding there time in the car

"He was sleeping in the autopsy room?" Asked a confused Ziva

"I was trying to think," he offered in his defense

"You Marines have some strange habits"

"What does that mean Ziva?" Gibbs looked a little hurt by this

"Nothing Gibbs" She quickly looks down and away from Gibbs to hide from his glare

"What were you thinking about? It had to be major if you had to go lay on an autopsy table to figure out. Anything you want to share?" Ziva studied Jonathan in an attempt to read him for any clue as to what he had been thinking abou.

"Oh NO Ziva your not going to get me to talk not today. Hey Gunny why are we sitting here. Lets go kick down the door and put the screws to her?"

"Screws to her" Ziva now more confused then before

"Oh sorry Ziva you need a translation don't you. Um. We go in there and let Gibbs do that interrogation voodoo he does so well on her so we all can go home" Jonathan hated to be on stake outs he always thought they were a waste of time

"Gibbs you believe in voodoo?" Ziva almost completely lost now

"Were waiting cuz she's scared. So far she's been the perfect black widow but she knows were onto her. If she slips up will be here to catch her in the act" Spoke a now slightly aggravated Gibbs sipping his 4th coffee of the day

"OHHHH" said the two younger agents in tandem

"Patience can be useful" Gibbs took another sip of his coffee

"Yes Obi Won" Jonathan nodded to acknowledge he understood the plan now

"Isn't he one of the dwarfs from Sleeping Princess? I loved that movie as a girl."

Ziva had waited couple of days for their murder investigation to be closed before she could finally get everyone together for a group dinner at her apartment; Gibbs even let her leave early so she could cook for everyone. Before she was ready the team started to arrive and filled her living her room with hungry friends and the sound of laughter. Jonathan arrived and took his place in the living room with Ducky, Palmer, Abby, McGee and Gibbs. He was watching Ziva fly around her little kitchen with grace and poise with the occasional flurry of cursing in Hebrew to remind him where he was. Abby was smiling ear-to-ear and loved to catch him staring at Ziva. It was her way of protecting him from Gibbs catching him staring. Tony arrived as Ziva called the motley crew to the table to eat. He was all proud of himself he had found this long lost movie from his collection that he thought would be prefect for tonight's festivities. They eat well and drank even better. Wine and cold beer was past around the table as well as laughs and sense that this family was well and truly together.

After dinner they sat around the living room talking and laughing and enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet in their collective lives.

"You know what I think we should" Abby stood with a purpose that brought all other conversation to an abrupt stop.

"What's that Abby?" Ziva asked sipping her 3rd glass of wine

"Lets go to a bar and cause some trouble" She smiled devilishly and looked around the room for support from her teammates.

"Oh I'm down" seconded Tony standing up to be counted in her plan

"I don't know its already getting late." questioned McGee from the couch next to Abby

"Quit being a little girl Timmy!" Abby shot him a very evil glare that caused laughter amongst the agents in the living room.

"Hahahahahahhahahahaha She told you Probie" Taunted Tony enjoying watching the probie squirm in his seat.

"Yeah alright Tony fine I'm in. What about you Gibbs?" McGee turned to his boss who had been leaning up against the wall sipping his second bourbon of the night

"Oh no I'm goin home" shaking his head. Not wanting to see the trouble his team could get into. But knowing he'd have to clean it up in the morning.

Tony looked around for someone to help there cause to get Gibbs drunk and out of his shell for once "Ducky a little help?" Tony was ready to beg for a chance to see his long time boss drunk

"No I agree with Jethro on this point my boy. We both should be calling an end to our evenings. You youngster should go out thought. You've been under a lot of stress recently you need to relax"

"I heard we have doctors orders to get sloshed do we need anymore reason then that. Nope didn't think so lets go" Tony lead the charge for there coats and headed for the door, followed by the rest of the younger part of the team. Jonathan was next to last out of Ziva's front door his first chance to get her alone. "Thanks for dinner Ziva" he smiled warmly at her. They both teetered a little from their drinks.

"I'm glad you liked it Jonathan. It was my pleasure" She retuned his smile and walked next to him down to the street. She half wanted a reason to drag him back up those steps. But the thought of a couple of mojitos and dancing seemed like the safer beat. She pulled out the keys for Mini; Jonathan calmly snatched them from her small thin fingers.

"Oh no you cooked I'll drive."

She didn't argue as she sat into his brand new Dodge challenger. She didn't like his car much. She thought it was far too American even for him.

Ziva was awash at this point with enough alcohol not to care what was really going on but enough to enjoy who she was with.

"Having a good time Zi?" Jonathan smiled as they speed through the cool fall evening air

"Yeah I' am thank you. Let me ask you a question?" She returned his smile and her eyes had become locked on his collarbone. She had the mad urge to bit him as hard as she could. She figured he could take and that he'd enjoy it

"Shoot Ziva. What's on your mind?"

"What did you and Ava really talk about that night?" Once the words left her lips she knew she shouldn't of asked. Jonathan swallowed a lump in his throat the size of a football. A flood of memories good and bad flew into his mind. They had never really talked about what happened that night. Ziva never even mentioned when Ava left. A letter was mailed to him from Israel was his first clue Ava had left D.C. It had been quietly swept under the rug and the two had silently agreed to move on from it. At least he thought it was.

"I told you before Ziva the Marines, IDF, bulldogs and her wedding." His voice was horse and dry from the shock of the question and being forced to give her answers.

"Is that all?" She was unreadable to him now. There was a look of pain but at the same time he could see her training kicking in. That worried him that it over came her personality so easily. He understood that to a point but he always wondered how much Ziva was actually in Ziva.

"I don't remember all that was said we were pretty drunk" He knew that was no excuse and she could see right threw it but was the first thing he could thing of.

"What did Ava tell you about that night Ziva?" His voice was far weaker then he'd ever heard it.

" That you're a good man Jonathan." She held herself still and fought off any emotion her eyes turned to the lights that past by the car as they drove.

He slumped a little in his seat this evening was spiraling out of control and he didn't know how to stop it. The rest of the drive was silent and strained again.

They arrived in front of Duke's bar a favorite of the boys for its friendly staff. Or at least that was the story they told the girls to get them there. They settled into a booth with a round of beer and shots and proceeded to down them all in quick succession. No one noticed the silence between the late arrivers, or the speed at which they both downed there first or second or third drinks.

"Ok now Autopsy Gremlin tell me a joke" Tony was past tipsy at this point

"Awe I don't think I know one you'd find funny Tony. Wait Autopsy Gremlin?" Palmer looked confused and hurt by this nickname Tony had for him

"Yeah your right Probie make me laugh now I'm pulling rank" waving his drink at him

"Tony your drunk" McGee was too but was less obnoxious about it then Tony.

"Do it McGeeky or I'm gonna give you a wedgies!" He smiled at the probie who he considered his little brother but never would say that in public.

The group collectively laughed at McGee's predicament. Then as if they read the mind of a panicked McGee the boys turned their attention to the dance floor. Ziva and Abby had slipped out of the booth and were seductively dancing to the bad music coming out of the bar's PA

"Do I still need to come up with a joke Tony" both transfixed on the dance floor

"No you don't McGee you need to sit back and relax and enjoy this"

They all drooled at the sight of the women they normally saw in a professional manor cutting lose and being free of there normal personalities. They weren't they only ones watching and enjoying the spectacle. It seemed that the world stopped to focus on the sight of Abby and Ziva and the swirling of their hips to the music. The boys were lost in a haze of alcohol and unspoken affections for their coworkers and lovers. That was rudely interrupted when a pair of rather drunk and ignorant sailors stepped too close to their women.

"Ladies how about we take this party somewhere private?" spoke the first drunk sailor closet to Abby

"Buzz off loser isn't that right Ziva?" Abby slurred her speech at them and pointed her finger at them in case they didn't think she meant business

"Yeah leave us alone" piped an equally drunk and happy Ziva.

The first sailor grabbed Abby's arm and jerked her close to him. By the time Abby got her footing the boys had cleared out of the both and had encircled the sailors.

"I recommend you let go of her and now sailor" barked Tony standing an inch from

"Hey Andy will you look at this suit right here" they laughed in Tony's face

"Hey you better let me go or I'll kill you and leave no trace behind" Abby spoke up to defend herself from her intoxicated attackers

"Listen to her she can" McGee chirped up from behind Tony and Jonathan who standing shoulder to shoulder and now pulling Abby out of the line of fire and into the arms of McGee.

"I don't care what this bitch said ok now get the fuck out of my face before I kick your ass back to your mama" The sailor was far to drunk to know the trouble he was in

"Never send a sailor to do a Marines job" Jonathan spoke into one of the sailors face. Bringing him away from his friend.

"What that supposes to mean grunt?" They took another step away from the group

"Means the navy floats and Marine fight so you better go back to your table have a few more drinks and leave our women alone or I'll make you regret it" Jonathan smiled he loved nothing better then a good bar fight to relieve the stress of this evenings events,

"That right?" The sailor threw the first punch and it landed in the center of Jonathan's chest. As he staggered back he saw the two sailors fail in a flurry of punches and kicks from Ziva who had slinked up behind them just as Jonathan had planned. Ziva was smiling threw the whole thing.  
" You see that's our Mossad hunting dog. A she doesn't like much when someone lays a hand on friend Abby here. You stupid sailor." He stood over both bodies that were crumpled up on the floor of the bar. A sad shell of they once imposing figures they were on there feet.

"Jonathan turn around" The voice from a now sober and very concerned Ziva as two table worth of sailors stood and readied themselves for little payback on the NCIS agents.

"DiNozzo get McGee, Palmer, and Abby out of here tactical retreat backdoor now move" Jonathan barked with authority He knew how to handle this situation.

"You're giving up?" questioned Ziva standing next to him sizing up the situation in her head

"NO buying them time to escape" the look on his face changed from worry to excitement as he coworkers fled out the backdoor leaving them to just deal with the approaching sailors.

"You said retreat. That's away from the fight" Ziva's tone was a tad mocking and joking as she spoke

"NO I said tactical retreat that's advance in a different direction"

"Oh ok so were clear." She giggled a little but she knew he was right in what he did; it left them with one clear objective. Survive

They stood two against about 12 or 14 very drunk and pist off sailors.

"So you get half I'll take they other and see you in the middle" Jonathan spoke clear and firm to her. The alcohol now gone, replaced with adrenaline coursing in his veins.

"Sounds good" Ziva cracked her neck in readiness of the fight ahead.

"Ooo Rah" Jonathan let out as he charged the first group of sailors at full speed, Ziva just a step behind him.

With that the two charged their opponents in a flurry of violence and action. The two of them dispatched there drunk foes with ease as they cut their way threw them but there superior numbers meant that they just kept coming and coming. Soon everyone left in the bar was apart of the fight and friends were fighting friends. In the chaos Jonathan spotted away out into the parking lot and away from this ever-escalading madness of the bar. He turned to find Ziva almost enjoying herself as she dispatched another foe that was in her way. "Ziva time to Leave" He barked to her

"What " the bar had become filed with the sound of chaos and confusion mixed with they intermittent screams of the injured was a strange comfort to the two f them.

'Officer David we need to go now" He grabbed her arm and pulled her in close to his chest. "Enough showing off now its time to leave" There eyes were on fire with adrenaline and excitement. They both were enjoying this.

"I'm not showing off" she said as a stumbling sailor coming between them split them apart

"Were going now Officer David no more arguing. That's an order" His gruff tone offered her no other option then to follow his orders.

"Fine" she hissed at him. He grabbed her arm and made a break for the door. The sound of approaching sirens added some validity to Jonathan's decision. Ziva could hear the speech that Gibb's would give if he had to come and pick up his agents from police lock up for a drunk bar brawl. They ran into the parking lot and into Jonathan's car and speed off into the night. Ziva had a gash on her head from a broken beer bottle, and some sore ribs while Jonathan had blood knuckles and a cut lip. She looked wild with her hair a mess and a little blood on her face. "Why does it look like you had fun in there" He thought to himself blowing threw red lights and ignoring every traffic law. But to the two of them that didn't matter. They owned this night no one could take it from them.

"We should go out as a group more often" She laughed a terrifying yet sensual laugh and a flash of her eyes wild with fire

They arrived at Jonathan's small house he was renting and he pulled up the driveway. The booze were wearing off and there injuries were becoming painful. The long day they had turned in was starting to catch up to them. Scully appeared and proceeded to lift both there tired spirits. He sat at Ziva's feet and she scratched his head. Sully watched them interact and was trying to get feed again. They sat around his small kitchen table and Jonathan tended to their wounds. Ziva sat there in a chair turned backwards in her bra and slacks while he taped an ice pack to her ribs. Then turned his attention to her bleeding head. "Your lucky this isn't any deeper or I'd have to take you in to the hospital"

"I appreciate your concern but I'm fine' She let out a small groan as he cleaned the cut. He smirked at her pain without her noticing

"I know you're the Mossad assassin and all but you're not impressing me with it now" His eyes toured her battle scared face and studied every curve of her face with great detail. He was searching for something but he didn't know what.

"It impressed you?" She was surprised by this and it made her glow she smiled up at him as his finished cleaning her up. Ziva took a moment to bit down on her lower lip as Jonathan searched his med kit for something for the pain.

"Yeah I like a women that can handle herself. I couldn't stand dating a little princess." He laughed a little at the thought of one his ex's came quickly into his mind and then was gone as he looked at Ziva.

She took his hand away from her face and pulled him in for a rough passionate kiss. They pulled apart both surprised by what had happened. Ziva licked her lips and became drunk on the taste of Jonathan's blood in her mouth. "I know what you want and I want it too Ziva" Even Jonathan was caught off guard by his own words

"What are you talking about?" She knew then what he and Ava had really talked about.

" I want you Ziva. I don't care about Gibbs and his rules" She was in a moment happy and sad in the next. She had what she wanted yet it was still complicated.

"I have to" she looked away to hide her tears from him. He grabbed her head gently and pulled her back so he could look into her eyes.

"I know I got that vibe from day one will take it slow Ziva. Two wounded hearts. OK?"

Ziva awoke under Jonathans arm with Sully lying next to them in the bed. She felt safe and warm there in his bed. She had a feeling of being home rushed over her. Scully let out a big yawn as she scratched behind his ears.

"Going for your run it's Saturday?" came a tired voice behind her

"Yeah its my routine" It was a surprise to her that he knew her routine yet comforting too.

"Ok be safe" he was sweet with his words and understanding

"I will" She sat up and looked back at the bed and the man laying there smiling at her and the dog stealing her spot in the bed.

"What were you thinking about on the autopsy table yesterday?" her voice was low and soft to the point of almost being a whisper

"You" came back equally softly to her

"Me you thought about me on the autopsy table?" She was confused and a little lost she never could place the how's and why's of Jonathan Barclay mind.

"I was thinking about that after all that has happened in the past few months it was all worth it you" He smiled at her with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. A smile he only shared with those he truly cared about.

She paused to think it all over for a second "Thank you "

She leaned down and kissed her sleeping Marine. She grabbed one of his USMC t-shirts for the clean clothes pile and headed for the door. She stepped out into the first rays of sunlight of this Saturday morning with a newfound sense of strength. She was happy for the first time in long time. Now she could move forward.


End file.
